Akwa United’s leading goal scorer Chijioke Alaekwe is poised to leave the club after his contract expired at the end of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. The 26 year old forward confirmed he is now a free agent and unlikely to return to the club, which was recently relegated to the second tier.
Alaekwe had been sidelined by a shoulder injury sustained during the Akwa Ibom FA Cup semi-final against Akpabio United. He missed the remainder of the season, where the Promise Keepers were condemned to relegation following a final-day 2-1 loss to Heartland FC.
Speaking with Yohaig NG, Alaekwe revealed his injury is almost fully healed. “I’m grateful to God for the fast recovery rate,” he said. “Will I still be at Akwa United next season? Well, I don’t think so, because my contract has expired. I only signed a one-season deal when I joined, so as things stand, I’m a free player.”
The former Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah striker had also previously played abroad with Sheikh Jamal in Bangladesh. He finished as Akwa United’s top scorer this season with five goals.
Editorial
Chijioke Alaekwe’s imminent exit from Akwa United feels inevitable, yet entirely symbolic of the broader turbulence within the club. A top scorer walking away freely after a relegation campaign is not just a transfer story it’s a reflection of structural fragility, short-term planning, and missed opportunities.
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Alaekwe gave Akwa United everything he could, including crucial goals in a campaign that lacked direction. That he signed for just one season, in hindsight, speaks volumes. The club never secured long-term value from a proven goalscorer, and now, they lose both the player and the momentum he could have helped restore in the second division.
But for Alaekwe, the road ahead is lined with potential. At 26, he’s entering his peak years and has already shown the consistency and poise many NPFL forwards struggle to maintain. Clubs in need of experience and goals home or abroad should already be knocking.
Akwa United, on the other hand, must look inward. Relegation isn’t just about lost points it’s about lost identity. And when your top performer leaves without resistance, it’s time to ask tough questions about vision, planning, and retention.
Did You Know?
- Chijioke Alaekwe previously featured for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, one of the top teams in Bangladesh’s top-tier league.
- Akwa United won their only NPFL title in the 2020/21 season under coach Kennedy Boboye.
- Alaekwe also played for Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah—two NPFL sides with strong domestic reputations.
- Akwa United’s relegation marks the second in their history since gaining promotion in 2007.
- The club suffered a critical blow when Alaekwe’s injury ruled him out of the final stretch of the season, leaving their attack blunt during a crucial survival fight.
